I've generated three individual video game ideas, detailing the type of terrain and architecture featured in the game along with the objects and characters the player interacts with. I've outlined the NPC, feedback and interface featured in the game, along with the perspective and FMV seen by the player. All these sections are filled with details and creativity to make sure they set themselves apart from each other and most other video games. This blog post acts as a report, with its help I'll decide on which game I will develop further by using the evaluations at the end to back-up my choice.
Adventures of Brewy the Elephant!
Brief Introduction -
This game is greatly inspired by Cuphead, it features the same type of art-style, one based on 1940's and 1950's animation. The name "Adventures of Brewy the Elephant!" is based on the names of 1950s animated movies such as "Alice in Wonderland" (1951) and "The Adventures of Buratino" (1959) which use whimsical names based in storytelling and fantasy books. in this game you play as Brewy, a purple, sentient, ceramic kettle with the features of an elephant, you fly through the air shooting at enemies as you make your way through the side-scrolling levels, every world ends with a boss battle in which you shoot down the boss while avoiding their projectiles.
Terrain -
The early levels are mostly empty, allowing the player plenty of room to maneuver around the screen, as the player progresses through the game they are given less and less space, they must weave through hills and stalagmites, avoiding collision with them while also making sure they don't get hit by the enemies. Later levels can branch out before meeting back up later on, some levels are actually important to the game's progression, leading to alternate pathways and special levels.
(Industrial Level Background With Filter)
(Industrial Level Background Without Filter)
Architecture -
The early worlds are based more on nature, with beautiful, hand-drawn fields and mysterious jungles, later levels incorporate buildings ranging from a sleeping city skyline to an industrial factory with a ashy sky. All the worlds featured in the game stem from early animated movies and the types of themes they attempted to convey, the beautiful nature scenes seen in disney movies like "Bambi" (1942) all the way to the industrial nightmares and terrifying locales seen in "Animal Farm" (1954).
(Hand-Drawn Sketch of First Level)
This game features items from all sorts of animated movies, you can untie an anvil and drop it on a boss to deal a large amount of damage, this is a reference to slapstick animation like Bugs Bunny. You can also eat spinach to increase your fire-rate, a reference to Popeye. A Lot of the items also deal damage, a rolling boulder will crash into your character for an instant death unless avoided, and a rushing waterfall will reduce the character's movement speed.
(Early Vector-Based Anvil-on-Rope)
Characters -
Brewy the Elephant is the main character of this game, he is a tea kettle brought to life by a magical fairy, he sets of on an adventure to defeat the evil wizard threatening the land and to rescue his kidnapped friend Miss Toastiee. Brewy is a happy-go-lucky type of character in reference to old children's movies, he has little to no character development, Brewy is the standard 'underdog' character and is constantly undermined by the villain.
(Early Vector-Based Brewy the Elephant)
Non-Playable Characters -
The Evil Wizard is a tall, frightening man, he uses his powers to take over the world and turn it onto a factory for his magical potions. Miss Toastee is Brewys best friend, she is the typical damsel in distress cliche and serves as an incentive for Brewy to defeat The Evil Wizard, she is a toaster with feminine features similarly to the home appliances from "Beauty and the Beast" (1992). Other than them there are many enemy characters that shoot at Brewy, these can range from magical bees to giant frogs, each level has a set number of enemies exclusive to that level and its theme.
(The Evil Wizard and Miss Toastee Early Sketches)
Feedback -
The feedback I received from showing this to other people can be categorised into three topics, "Similarities to Cuphead", "Suggestions for Branching Pathways" and "FMV Suggestions". Naturally people compared the game to Cuphead, both are games using an artstyle not seen too often in present media while also having flying shooter mechanics. Due to these concerns I'll focus more on branching away from Cuphead, perhaps by adjusting the difficulty to be easier or by altering themes that are already in Cuphead for a more unique experience.
I originally intended the branching pathway system to be very basic, offering slight replay value, however after hearing about this branching system people immediately drew connections to star ways and the way your choice dictates the ending, I really like this idea and have decided branching pathways will be a more common thing in the game while the overall playthrough time will be cut down, this allows people to experience more of the game at a quicker pace.
Finally "FMV Suggestions" when people heard I had no intention of FMV being in the game they mentioned the animated shorts they've watched when they were kids, I thought about it and decided that each level will have its own short FMV animation accompanying it, it would add more of an incentive for people to play the game while also being relatively easy to make.
Interface -
There will be two types of elements on screen, Displayed in traditional heart shaped points would be your health and below that (in light-blue pellets) is your special attack energy, both will be displayed in the top left corner of the screen. The score will only show up when the player pauses the game and so does the file counter. This is all done so the player can concentrate on dodging and shooting enemies without the score and lives getting in the way too much.
Perspective -
While the game will be in 2D I've decided to give it a slight angle (seen in games like Double Dragon) for a more aesthetic appearance, the game will be set in third person with a side scrolling camera style as seen in the "Hand-Drawn Sketch of First Level" image.
Full-Motion Video -
As discussed in the Feedback section, I plan to have shorts at the end of each level, they will mostly be there for the enjoyment of the player and won't have much to do with the limited plot, most would just be Brewy being cute and playing around. They will each be linked to a stage and will have that stage as the setting of each animation. The main menu will have an Extras tab where you can rewatch the shorts you've unlocked.
Deep-Sea Echoes
Brief Introduction -
The world is at the brink of nuclear war, people from all over the world panic in search of surviving, cryonics, space-travel and studies into computer-human symbiotic relationships. You play as Rimor (Latin for Explorer), a human in their early 20s, as the game begins you see Rimor jumping into an old diving suit and into the sea, a nuclear bomb painting the sky red soon after. Now deep underwater you must find a way to survive the dangerous environment, eldritch abominations and obvious lack of air.
Terrain -
The underwaters have many variations, from beautiful coral landscapes, open seas to the chilling crashed ships and airplanes. Each location brings along a new way of exploration, the corals for example act as platforms leading to that area being more platformer heavy compared to the others, wreckages can be scavenged through for hidden items and also have secret compartments the player can discover. Each area is filled to the brim with originality and creativity to ensure it lives up to its metroidvania title.
Architecture -
The map is constructed in such a way that the player can only access parts with the needed "Item Upgrades" this is done to give the player a sense of progression while also making sure the map stays at a manageable size, some parts are also "crossroads" the player can use as a shortcut, a quick way to go back for a secret they missed. Boss battles take place in arenas, these are large empty rooms that give the player space to maneuver without anything blocking their way, this leads to more freedom with boss encounters and more enjoyable fights.
Objects -
The three main types of items you can find are "Item Upgrades", "Stat Upgrades" and "Replenishments". "Item Upgrades" are items that give Rimor an ability, these can rage from a missile launcher to a double jump, these upgrades are integral to game progression and will be found after a challenging room to act as a reward. "Stat Upgrades" are hidden collectables that permanently increase the amount of health, air, energy and/or ammo you can carry, these tend to be hidden in more remote locations, prompting the player to explore. Finally "Replenishments" are simple items dropped by enemies, these replenish your health energy and ammo metters.
Characters -
Rimor is the main character and only human seen in the game, they do not speak and can only interact with body language, as they find more upgrades and abilities their appearance changes over time. Their starting appearance (seen below) is inspired by early versions of a diving suit, later upgrades improve the materials and design of the suit, giving Rimor better control. Their gender is kept a secret till the end of the game where they are revealed to be female, a reference to the original Metroid on the Nintendo Entertainment System.
(Early Rimor Design)
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Non-Playable Characters -
Eldritch is the antagonist of the game, it stalks the player as they explore and must be defeated several times during the game, it is also the final boss where it is killed for good. Eldritch is a result of the nuclear fallout radiation, Gamma rays from the nuclear bombs affected Eldritch, making it more aggressive and destructive, this also goes for the many enemies and mini-bosses in the game. There are no sentient creatures in this game, the player is stranded alone with no friendly face for miles, all NPCs in this game are either enemies or background details that the player can interact with.
(Concept Art of Eldritch)
Feedback -
The feedback I received from showing this to other people can be categorised into three topics, "Horror Elements", "Secrets & Suggestions" and "Above-Sea Lore". First, "Horror Elements" were comments talking about Eldritch, many people said that the game itself should not be as grim and disturbing as the final boss, the shift in mood when he shows up would better fit with his character, due to this I've decided the Mise-en-scène and overall ambience should be set to depressing instead of claustrophobic (as was the original intent).
"Secrets & Suggestions" were mainly from fans of Metroid and Castlevania games, they asked for a larger amount of secrets, from stashed-away items all the way to hidden map sections. These were mainly targeting the people who played these games during their childhood, while I dont want to make the game too cryptic I will keep these suggestions to heart while designing secrets, keeping a balance between old and new.
Finally there are the "Above-Sea Lore" comments, people curious about the nuclear war and the ways people tried to escape and survive. While I originally made up the story as an excuse as to why the player doesnt just go to the surface its eye-opening to see people so interested, while I don't plan on doing much with the surface in this game- there might be an opportunity for a spin off game set in the same world.
Interface -
The HUD contains meters for Health, Air and Energy in the top left corner and a mini-map in the top right corner. The health meter is simple enough, getting hit by enemies drains it, by finding special red corals you can extend your health. Air is a slowly draining meter that you should keep an eye for, it drains only when you're underwater, there are suit upgrades hidden around the place, some of them extend your Air meter allowing for more exploration of the map. Last but not least is the Energy meter, this is similar to Mana meters in fantasy games, it is used up when special abilities are activated, missile launchers, double jumping and hovering all use up your energy, you can recover energy by collecting the glowing orbs dropped by defeated enemies, it also regenerates on its own slowly.
Perspective -
The perspective of this game is identical to its inspirations Metroid and Castlevania, it is a 2D Direct Sidescroller game. While it would be more original to create a metroidvania game with a less conventional perspective (Isometric or even Slight Angle) I've found via the Feedback section that people would consider that clunky and unplayable, thus I've decided to stick to the standard.
Full-Motion Video -
There is one cutscene at the start of the game, it sets up the world, explaining the nuclear war approaching and the survival struggles of people worldwide. As the screen dims into darkness it suddenly flashes white, an atomic bomb going off in the distance, Rimor can be seen jumping into his dive suit and throwing himself deep underwater, seconds before the world is engulfed in flames.
(Placeholder FMV)
Unknown Error; Soul Corrupt
Brief Introduction -
Unlike the first and second game concepts this one focuses on more sombre, depressing themes, it is a physiological-horror adventure game in which you explore the world after death- cold and littered with mechanical abominations. As you venture deeper into the demented reality more information about the afterlife is uncovered, depending on your choices you can either harvest the soul fragments powering the robots, building yourself a new soul to reincarnate into the world of the living or remain in this afterlife, exploring deeper into its origin while also repairing the creatures you come across for further information.
The game is designed similarly to roguelike games, not only does the world map change with every playthrough but you also get access to unseen creatures, lore and locations. Your overall progress is stored separately to your save file, it keeps track of the things you know/have experienced. As you learn and see more of the world you are given withheld information as an incentive to study and discover more.
Terrain -
The world map is randomly generated out of a handful of terrain parts, buildings, wreckages and overgrown wild-life all come together to create an eerie and unknown afterlife for each new playthrough. Depending on what the player has seen in previous runs the game focuses on placing objects and locales the player hasnt experienced.
Architecture -
The player can access ruins, skyscrapers and basements, each location vastly different from the last, categorised by its own timeframe. Ruins hold information from the beginning of creation- old untranslated tablets and faded artifacts. Basements hold creatures that get more twisted as you descend deeper into the cold earth. Skyscrapers incorporate electronics and documents the player can read through. Each location has its own way of traversal, the player may have to come back in another playthrough to access parts they had been blocked from exploring.
Objects -
Every object and paper the player has seen is stored in a useful documentation mode, this lets the player piece together the story on their own, one playthrough the player may get a question with no answer, another the answer to a question they haven't been asked. Through this mode the player can explore more of the lore hidden in the objects they discover.
Characters -
The main character has no backstory whatsoever, they are an empty husk from head to toe. This allows the player to immerse themselves in the world completley as if they were the one who died and ended up in this nightmare of an existence.
Non-Playable Characters -
The player isn't the only human wandering the afterlife, as you explore the ruins you might see other humans far away- out of your reach, you might even find the skeletal bodies of the creatures who once lived in this world. The only MPCs you can interact with are the robotic creatures, there are many unique creatures to help or salvage, they each have special abilities and quests for the player to complete, this rewards you with lore and furthers the plot of the game.
Feedback -
The feedback I received from showing this to other people can be categorised into three topics, "Gameplay Vs Plot", "Gore-Based Horror Vs Psychological Horror" and "Game Length".
The "Gameplay Vs Plot" feedback talked about how too much plot without enough gameplay would be considered boring and all the work put into the plot would not be appreciated, due to this I have decided to incorporate minigames such as Lock Picking to access locked up rooms/sectors and Platforming to maneuver the decrepit and dangerous environment, these changes will hopefully lead to a more exciting game where salvaging items is a more rewarding experience for the player.
"Gore-Based Horror Vs Psychological Horror" talked about the overabundance of gore and blood in similar games (ala Silent Hill and Corpse Party) for this reason I have decided to significantly lower the amount of gore seen in this game, instead of dead bodies placed haphazardly I will make sure each and every one has a reason for existing, even linking them to notes/journals found in-game. I'll use skeletons instead of decomposing bodies not only to tone down the gore but also to match with the lore better, as the original inhabitants of this world would have all died hundreds if not thousands of years before the player wakes up.
Last but not least, "Game Length" discussed the average time for one playthrough, by averaging out the times people gave when asked how long a single playthrough should last there were answers all over the place, from 4-5 all the way to 18-20 hours. After not being able to decide on a set number I figured it would be best if the player decided for themselves via a slider in the options. The player can calibrate how long they want their experience to be by setting the average playthrough slider to their preference, this will adjust the size and collectables of the map.
Interface -
Since this game has no fights or overall action segments I've decided on not having any immersion-breaking interface icons. Other than the vignette effect and a slight filter applied to aid the Mise-en-scène there wont be any HUD elements present on screen.
Perspective -
The game is experienced in first person with no third person option available, this is done to place the player into the world instead of needlessly separating them via a 3d model representation of themselves. This also means no animations need to be created for the player's movements and interactions, this is a significant amount of money and time saved from development.
Full-Motion Video -
There are no FMV segments in this game, normally games feature such things for the start and end of the playthrough however as this game is designed with replayability in mind I've decided it would be better off with a quick start so players can get straight into discovering the newly generated world and collectables.
Brief Introduction -
Unlike the first and second game concepts this one focuses on more sombre, depressing themes, it is a physiological-horror adventure game in which you explore the world after death- cold and littered with mechanical abominations. As you venture deeper into the demented reality more information about the afterlife is uncovered, depending on your choices you can either harvest the soul fragments powering the robots, building yourself a new soul to reincarnate into the world of the living or remain in this afterlife, exploring deeper into its origin while also repairing the creatures you come across for further information.
The game is designed similarly to roguelike games, not only does the world map change with every playthrough but you also get access to unseen creatures, lore and locations. Your overall progress is stored separately to your save file, it keeps track of the things you know/have experienced. As you learn and see more of the world you are given withheld information as an incentive to study and discover more.
Terrain -
The world map is randomly generated out of a handful of terrain parts, buildings, wreckages and overgrown wild-life all come together to create an eerie and unknown afterlife for each new playthrough. Depending on what the player has seen in previous runs the game focuses on placing objects and locales the player hasnt experienced.
Architecture -
The player can access ruins, skyscrapers and basements, each location vastly different from the last, categorised by its own timeframe. Ruins hold information from the beginning of creation- old untranslated tablets and faded artifacts. Basements hold creatures that get more twisted as you descend deeper into the cold earth. Skyscrapers incorporate electronics and documents the player can read through. Each location has its own way of traversal, the player may have to come back in another playthrough to access parts they had been blocked from exploring.
(Ruins and NPC Concept Art)
Objects -
Every object and paper the player has seen is stored in a useful documentation mode, this lets the player piece together the story on their own, one playthrough the player may get a question with no answer, another the answer to a question they haven't been asked. Through this mode the player can explore more of the lore hidden in the objects they discover.
Characters -
The main character has no backstory whatsoever, they are an empty husk from head to toe. This allows the player to immerse themselves in the world completley as if they were the one who died and ended up in this nightmare of an existence.
Non-Playable Characters -
The player isn't the only human wandering the afterlife, as you explore the ruins you might see other humans far away- out of your reach, you might even find the skeletal bodies of the creatures who once lived in this world. The only MPCs you can interact with are the robotic creatures, there are many unique creatures to help or salvage, they each have special abilities and quests for the player to complete, this rewards you with lore and furthers the plot of the game.
(Architecture and NPC Concept Art)
Feedback -
The feedback I received from showing this to other people can be categorised into three topics, "Gameplay Vs Plot", "Gore-Based Horror Vs Psychological Horror" and "Game Length".
The "Gameplay Vs Plot" feedback talked about how too much plot without enough gameplay would be considered boring and all the work put into the plot would not be appreciated, due to this I have decided to incorporate minigames such as Lock Picking to access locked up rooms/sectors and Platforming to maneuver the decrepit and dangerous environment, these changes will hopefully lead to a more exciting game where salvaging items is a more rewarding experience for the player.
"Gore-Based Horror Vs Psychological Horror" talked about the overabundance of gore and blood in similar games (ala Silent Hill and Corpse Party) for this reason I have decided to significantly lower the amount of gore seen in this game, instead of dead bodies placed haphazardly I will make sure each and every one has a reason for existing, even linking them to notes/journals found in-game. I'll use skeletons instead of decomposing bodies not only to tone down the gore but also to match with the lore better, as the original inhabitants of this world would have all died hundreds if not thousands of years before the player wakes up.
Last but not least, "Game Length" discussed the average time for one playthrough, by averaging out the times people gave when asked how long a single playthrough should last there were answers all over the place, from 4-5 all the way to 18-20 hours. After not being able to decide on a set number I figured it would be best if the player decided for themselves via a slider in the options. The player can calibrate how long they want their experience to be by setting the average playthrough slider to their preference, this will adjust the size and collectables of the map.
Interface -
Since this game has no fights or overall action segments I've decided on not having any immersion-breaking interface icons. Other than the vignette effect and a slight filter applied to aid the Mise-en-scène there wont be any HUD elements present on screen.
Perspective -
The game is experienced in first person with no third person option available, this is done to place the player into the world instead of needlessly separating them via a 3d model representation of themselves. This also means no animations need to be created for the player's movements and interactions, this is a significant amount of money and time saved from development.
Full-Motion Video -
Conclusion
evaluate and compare the 3. Choose final game and say why
After lots of consideration and thought I've decided to go forward and develop game idea 3, "Unknown Error; Soul Corrupt". While the first and second game idea, "Adventures of Brewy the Elephant!" and "Deep-Sea Echoes" both rely on heavy gameplay and programming to create a fun arcade-style game, "Unknown Error; Soul Corrupt" focuses more on exploration, lore and storytelling, not only do I feel more confident in these skills but I believe the game to be the most creative one from the bunch, grabbing the attention of people more than Brewy or Echoes could.
While Brewy has generic nature and industrial themes and Echoes has the deep sea, Soul Corrupt's setting in an unknown afterlife has a larger creativity range- allowing for a more dynamic environment while also giving players more to see and enjoy by generating a new world each playthrough.
Compared to the non-existent exploration in Brewy, Soul Corrupt has thousands of interesting ways to play the game and experience its secrets, one playthrough you're salvaging notes and lore around the town and another you find yourself deep underground interacting with robots and AI.
Brewy can be replayed several times to explore alternate pathways, Echoes stays the same each playthrough, each game has about a day's worth of gameplay before the player has seen all there is to see, compare that to Soul Corrupt, a game designed to be explored with frequent playthroughs giving the player questions that can only be solved with more play time, its built to immerse- created in such a way that a player is never satisfied and needs to know more leading to a huge amount of hours pumped into the game.
To sum it all up, "Unknown Error; Soul Corrupt" is largely superior to the other ideas, not only does it have plenty of gameplay to be had but that gameplay is interesting and works to entertain, the large amount of lore and secrets the player can uncover works to keep them coming back to more. While this game has less action than "Adventures of Brewy the Elephant!" and "Deep-Sea Echoes" I feel like it would work to its advantage, with so many inspired games coming out currently I imagine a purely original concept with lore and content rivaling an elder scrolls game would catch the attention of gamers better than the other two.
evaluate and compare the 3. Choose final game and say why
After lots of consideration and thought I've decided to go forward and develop game idea 3, "Unknown Error; Soul Corrupt". While the first and second game idea, "Adventures of Brewy the Elephant!" and "Deep-Sea Echoes" both rely on heavy gameplay and programming to create a fun arcade-style game, "Unknown Error; Soul Corrupt" focuses more on exploration, lore and storytelling, not only do I feel more confident in these skills but I believe the game to be the most creative one from the bunch, grabbing the attention of people more than Brewy or Echoes could.
While Brewy has generic nature and industrial themes and Echoes has the deep sea, Soul Corrupt's setting in an unknown afterlife has a larger creativity range- allowing for a more dynamic environment while also giving players more to see and enjoy by generating a new world each playthrough.
Compared to the non-existent exploration in Brewy, Soul Corrupt has thousands of interesting ways to play the game and experience its secrets, one playthrough you're salvaging notes and lore around the town and another you find yourself deep underground interacting with robots and AI.
Brewy can be replayed several times to explore alternate pathways, Echoes stays the same each playthrough, each game has about a day's worth of gameplay before the player has seen all there is to see, compare that to Soul Corrupt, a game designed to be explored with frequent playthroughs giving the player questions that can only be solved with more play time, its built to immerse- created in such a way that a player is never satisfied and needs to know more leading to a huge amount of hours pumped into the game.
To sum it all up, "Unknown Error; Soul Corrupt" is largely superior to the other ideas, not only does it have plenty of gameplay to be had but that gameplay is interesting and works to entertain, the large amount of lore and secrets the player can uncover works to keep them coming back to more. While this game has less action than "Adventures of Brewy the Elephant!" and "Deep-Sea Echoes" I feel like it would work to its advantage, with so many inspired games coming out currently I imagine a purely original concept with lore and content rivaling an elder scrolls game would catch the attention of gamers better than the other two.
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